Darla Landscape

Visiting Darla has shown me how intertwined farming is with the surrounding forests. Farm houses are scattered along the slopes of the mountains and trees can be seen in every direction. I am admiring the tree-filled landscapes along with the happy endemic birds chirping away in the spring’s warmth. In the Kingdom of Bhutan, it is illegal to cut down a tree without a permit to do so. This is one of the ways to conserve the environment.

Darla used to cultivate mainly rice, maize and potatoes. However, due to a water scarcity problem during the dry season, many farmers have switched to cultivating vegetables, taken up dairy farming or grow cardamom as a cash crop. This reminds me that the effects of climate change are felt throughout. Farmers who can adapt and diversify remain the most resilient; as I have learnt that the reason why many farmers have adopted growing cardamom is because of the reason stated above and to obtain a higher income.
This place is more south of Bhutan than Paro. If you remember the first picture of Paro, this area looks more green and lush compared to some of the more barren and dry spots in Paro. Both places are great though…